Web perforating apparatus



May 14, 1957 R. E. PIERCE WEB PERFORATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 10, 1955 May 14, 1957 R. E. PIERCE was PERFORATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 10, 1955 United States Patent i WEB PERFORATING APPARATUS Robert E. Pierce, Glendale, Mo., assignor to Bemis Bro. Bag (30., St. Louis, MO.,' a'corporation of Missouri Application March 10, 1955, Serial No.7493,503

Claims. (Cl. 164-402) having a-continuous-m'otion punching mechanism, as opposed'to an'intermittent-motion mechanism, which is operable-at high speeds on a web of bag material which is travelling continuouslyat high speeds; and-the provision of apparatus of this class which is of relatively'sirnple construction and reliable in operation. "Other-objects and'featureswill'be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordinglycomprises the constructions hereinafter 'described, the scope of the inventionbeing indicateddn the followingclaims.

3 In the accompanying drawings; 'inwhich one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. lis an: end elevation of a webperforatingapparatus *of this invention parts being-broken away fill the center;

Fig. 2 is a left side elevationtof Big. 1;

Fig'.3"is"an enlarged section'taken 'on'line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

t Fig. 4--is an enlarged section taken on sline=-4--4 of s Fig. -51is a view similar to {ls-showing azrnoved position of parts; and, a

' Eig. 6-is a diagrammatic viewuillustratingr;the-.;niotion -of certain parts.

; sponding parts throughout the severaltviewstof the. drawings.

Referring to the drawings, a web perforating apparatus of this invention is shown to comprise a frame generally designated 1 which constitutes a support for the various elements of the apparatus. The frame carries guide rolls 3 and 5 for guiding a web W of bag material, such as polyethylene tubing, for travel in a horizontal path from the roll 3 to the roll 5. As the web travels from the roll 3 to the roll 5, it passes between cooperative punch and die members 7 and 9 which function to punch holes in the web at regularly spaced intervals without impeding the Web.

The punch 7 is actuated by a slider-crank mechanism comprising a bearing block 11 slidable transversely of the supporting frame 1 on a pair of upper horizontal guide bars 13. Block 11 has split ears 15 at its sides receiving the bars 13. It is adapted to be clamped at any desired position on the bars 13 by means of clamp screws 17 which extend through the ears 15. A transverse shaft 19 is rotary in the bearing block 11. This shaft has a gear 21 at one end and an eccentric 23 at the other. The

ice

:bearingblock 11 has a downward radial extension 25. A tubularbracket or guide 27 is pivoted on the extension 25 as indicated at 29 for oscillation on an axis transverse to the axis of the guide 27 and'transverse and parallel to the reach of the web between the guide rolls 3 and 5. A slider 31-constituted by a rod is mounted in the guide 27 for sliding movement transverse to the oscillatory axis of the-guide 27. The punch 7 is fixed on'one end (the lower andwinner-end) of the slider 31. The slider 31. has a 10 strap 33 at its upper end on the eccentric 23.

The punch 7 comprises a tubular member 35 threaded 'on the lower endof the slider- 31 and engaging a nut 37 threaded on the slider 31. The member 35 projects from the lower end of the slider 31 and its lower-end is peened lo -inward to provide a flange 39 bounding a'circular open- ':-;ing=41. A hard steel ball 43 having a diameter somewhat larger than that of opening 41 is provided in the member "35. The ball 43- is biased to the position shown in Fig. -4 engaging the flange39 and projecting from the lower end of the member 35 by a compression spring-45 in member 35 -acting against a disk 47 which backs the ball43.

T hedie 9 is-actuated by a slider-crank mechanism com- -prising-a bearing block 51:like.block 11 which'is slidable transversely 'of the supporting frame 1' on a pair of lower horizontal guide bars 53. Block 51 has split cars 55: at its sides receiving the bars 53. It is adapted to-belclamped at any; desired-position on the bars 53"-by'meansrof clamp screws "5'7 which extend through the ears-55. -Ai transversesshaft-59 isrotary-in the bearing block-$51. This fiishaft has a gear 61'at one end and aneccentric 63 at the other. Thebearing block-51 has .an' upward radial extension 65. A'tubular bracket orguide 67 is pivoted I on theextension 65 asindicated at .69 for oscillation on ran axis which-istransverse tothe axis of the guide 67 Land which istransverse and parallel to thereach of the "web between the guide rolls 3- and- 5. A'slider 71 coniastituted by a rod-is mounted inthe-guide 67 forisliding rmovement transverse.to the oscillatory axis of the guide mend) ofathe-slider' 71. The slider71has a strap 73 at "itsclower end ontheeccentric 63.

The ,;die 9 comprises a tubular member 75' which is threaded-on the upper end ofithe slider '71'and which engages. a-nut 77 threaded on the slider 71. Member 575*projects from:the upperend of rod'71. Secured in "Fthe'upper iendfiof the member 75 is an annular hardsteel 1 seat 791 having an opening 81 .of'smaller diameterthan theiball 43. Below the opening 81,the seathas an entilarg'ed passage 83. 'Member 75'has a 1ateral'opening85. :nAt587kis-indicated an upper transverse shaftjournalled xti'n bearingsa89,:mountedoni the frame. Agear- 91- is'slidably keyed to the shaft .tl'lxandmeshes withi the gear. 21. Shaft 87 is driven by an electric motor 93 via gearing 95. It will be understood that the shaft 87 may be driven by other means. At 97 is indicated a lower transverse shaft journalled in bearings 99. A gear 101 is slidably keyed on the shaft 97 and meshes with the gear 61. Shaft 97 is driven from the shaft 87 via a vertical shaft 103 with bevel gear connections 105 between 87 tion as by set screws. The eccentrics 23 and 63 are phased so that when the center of eccentric 23 is directly below the center of shaft 19, the center of eccentric 63 is directly above the center of shaft 59 (see Fig. 3). Shaft 19 and eccentric 23 rotate clockwise and shaft 59 and eccentric 63 rotate counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. The rotation of the eccentrics causes oscillation of the sliders 31 and 71 about horizontal transverse axes at 29 and 69. It also causes sliding movement of the sliders 31 and 71 in guides 27 and 67. The resultant of the oscillation and sliding movement is such that the ball 43 and the seat 79 move in the circular paths indicated at A and B in Fig. 6, which paths intersect at C. At such intersection, the ball presses the web into the opening 81 in the seat 79 and punches out a circular piece of the web (two circular pieces where the web is polyethylene tubing) against the edge of the seat 79 bounding the opening 81. The speed of the eccentrics is such that as the ball and the seat come together, they are travelling forward with theweb at least approximately at the speed of the web. The pieces cut from the web are ultimately squeezed out of the opening 81 and fall through passage 83 into the member 75. Ultimately these pieces come out through the lateral opening 85.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. i

I claim:

1. Apparatus for perforating a continuously travelling web comprising a frame, means mounted on the frame for guiding the web for travel in a predetermined path, a pair of bearing blocks located on opposite sides of the path of the web mounted for transverse sliding adjustment relative to the web path on fixed guide means carried by the frame on opposite sides of the web path, a shaft rotary in each block on an axis transverse to the web path and movable with the block, a pair of drive shafts carried by the frame extending transversely with respect to the path of the web on opposite sides of said path, means for connecting said drive shafts and the firstmentioned shafts for driving the latter in various positions of adjustment of the blocks, a guide mounted on each block for oscillation on an axis transverse to the web path and movable with the block, a slider guided by each guide for sliding movement transverse to the oscillatory axis of theguide and movable with the block, the sliders having opposed inner ends provided with cooperating perforating members adapted upon engagement thereof to perforate the web, means connecting the outer ends of said sliders and said first-mentioned shafts for effecting rotation of the outer ends of the sliders around the axes of said firstmentioned shafts, means for positively driving one of said drive shafts, and means for driving the other drive shaft from said one drive shaft.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said. fixed guide means comprises a pair of guide bars extending transversely across the frame, each of said bearing blocks being slidable on the respective pair of bars transversely with respect to the web path, and wherein clamping means is provided for clamping the blocks to the bars at various transverse positions thereon.

3. Apparatus asset forth in claim 2 wherein the means connecting the outer end of each slider and the respective first-mentioned shaft comprises an eccentric on the shaft and a strap at the outer end of the slider on the eccentric.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said oscillatory guides is tubular and the sliders are slidable therein.

5. Apparatus for perforating a continuously travelling web comprising a frame, means mounted on the frame for guiding the web for travel in a predetermined path, a pair of bearing blocks located on opposite sides of the path of the web mounted for transverse sliding adjustment relative to the web path on fixed guide means carried by the frame on opposite sides of the web path, said guide means as to each block comprising a pair of guide bars, clamping means for clamping the blocks to the bars, a shaft rotary in each block on an axis transverse to the web path and movable with the block, an eccentric and a gear on each of said shafts, a pair of drive shafts carried by the frame extending transversely with respect to the path of the web on opposite sides of said path, a gear slidable on and rotary with each of said drive shafts and meshing the gear on the respective one of the firstmentioned shafts, a tubular guide mounted on each block for oscillation on an axis transverse to the guide axis and to the web path and movable with the block, a slider guided by each guide for sliding movement therein transverse to the oscillatory axis of the guide and movable with the block, the sliders having opposed inner ends provided with cooperating perforating members adapted upon engagement thereof to perforate the web, a strap at the outer end of each of said sliders on a respective eccentric for effecting oscillation of each slider on the axis of its guide and inward and outward sliding movement of the slider in its guide, means for positively driving one of said drive shafts, and means for driving the other drive shaft from said one drive shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,501,501 Swift July 15, 1924 1,512,202 Davis Oct. 21, 1924 1,571,983 Weber Feb. 9, 1926 1,618,943 Palmer Feb. 22, 1927 1,649,635 Willard Nov. 15, 1927 2,136,210 Hall Nov. 8, 1938 2,208,350 'Ungar July 16, 1940 2,406,808 Conner Sept. 3, 1946 

